Carton forming machine



June 30, 1953 I G. GEFFROY CARTON FORMING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6, 1950 M Z. m 4 4 fi :rliLrl z j LJ e x g A .i.ii.|iiL F!| 3 E 83 GEORGES 66/7780 7 attorney June 30, 1953 G. GEFFROY 2,643,592

CARTON FORMING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zhmentor v j 6. saeaz: GEFF/QO) (Ittomeg Patentecl June 30, 1953 CARTON FORMING- MACHINE Georges". Gefirom, Paris, France,- assignon to; La. Cellophane, Paris,.Erance-, aErenchcompany Application May, 6;,1950,,.SerialNo. 1613,5157 In France May 10, 1949 1;. Glainn 1 This invention relates to .box forming" machines and more particularly to a machinefor folding and forming reinforced open-top cartons for food products or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine for so folding thin flexibleliner blanks that in the folded carton no open seams which require sealing extend below a predetermined level which corresponds to the level to which the carton is to be filled, and inserting the liner in a reinforcing outer member of relatively stiff material such as heavy paper or cardboard.

Another object is to provide a machine of the above type which forms the lined carton in a single stamping operation.

Another object is to provide a machine ofthe above type having means to strip the folded carton from the forming plunger.

Another object is to provide a machine of the above type'having novel and improved details of construction and features of operation.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

In accordance with one embodiment of the 5 invention, the machine includes a forming plate adapted to receive the fiat blanks, which is provided with a central, generally rectangular opening having an area corresponding to the bottom of the carton and having a pair of triangular extensions at each end for folding the end flaps. A piston or plunger conforming in section to the bottom of the carton forces the blank through the plate-openingto start the folds. S ide plates disposed along the path of travel of the piston form theopposite' smooth side walls of the carton and a series of guiding and folding members arranged along the path of the piston in. the plane of the ends of the carton serveto fold and form the end flaps as the blank is advanced past the variousmembers. Sealing means, such as heated rollers, are provided for sealing the end seams of the carton before the finished carton is removed from the piston;

For stripping the folded cartons form the piston the latter is provided with a separable bottom member which is adapted to be advanced beyond the limit of travel of the piston to push the carton from the piston onto a receiver such as a conveyor having receptacles for the cartons.

The invention also provides a blank of heavy material beneath the liner blank and disposed to be folded to enclose the bottom, ends and sides of the folded carton to the level to which the carton is to be filled.

Thepresent invention. is an. improvement: on that" disclosed in co-pending application: Serial No; 794,981, filed December 31", 1947, now U'. S. Patent Serial No. 2,551,186.

Although the novel features which are characteristic of this invention are pointed out'more in detail in the claims, the-nature of the invention will be better understood by referring to'the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which a specific embodiment thereof'hasbeenset forth for the purpose of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig.- 1 is a vertical section, of a machine em.- bodying the invention showingthe parts at the start of a formingstroke;

Fig. 2 is an. end. elevationv of the machine showing: the. parts as" the: end of: the forming stroke; with the finished carton stripped from the. forming plunger;

Fig: 31is a top plan view ofthe forming plate with the fiat'blanks in position thereon;-

Fig; 41is-a' perspective-view of a finished carton with parts broken away for clarity;

Fig:v 5 is an. end elevation of: the carton. of Fig.4;

Fig: 6; is a plan; view of the blank of rein:- forcing material;; and.

Fig.2 '7' is: a. partial vertical section. similar; to Fig; 1, but: illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Referringtome-drawings, the carton. isiformed from. a rectangular liner. blank'A of thin ma= teri'al such as paper, rubber? hydrochloride, regenerated cellulose. material. such. as. cellophane or the like whichmay have heat sealing characteristics, andia blank: 3 of reinforcing material such. as. heavy paper; cardboard, plastic. or the like The foldedlinen is; shownv in Figs; land 5 as comprising flat' sides to, ends. it, and a bottom. 12.. Eachend' ll is formed by'an. upwardly folded bottomflap EShaVing a top edge It and a pair of'side flaps l5 and [iii which are folded over the: bottom; flap l3 and overlap to form a seam; H which; isisecuredby a suitableadhesive.

The outer or reinforcing member is formed from the blank]? (Fig.6) having'a bottom panel l2a, sidepanels lOa and'end panels i i a separated by scorelinesiiib and: lib about which the side and end panels are folded: In the finished carton of "Figs. land 5 theside panels I ta are folded againstthe'sides Id of the liner and the end panels Il a; are folded against the ends I! and beneath the sideflaps l5 and it- The side. and endpanels may'be secured in this'folded condition by any suitable means, as by strips of sealing tape. The side and end panels are of a height about equal to the height of the folded bottom flap I3.

The top of the carton is open to receive the food or other products to be incorporated therein. The carton contains no seams that require sealing below the top edge M of the bottom flap 43. Hence it is made liquid-tight to this point by the manner in which it is folded. The remainder of the sides and ends of the liner are folded inwardly to close the top of the package after it has been filled to the line M.

The principles of operation of the machine are illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3. Referring to these figures, the machine is shown as comprising a flat, rectangular forming plate 28 on which the blanks A. and B are placed. The plate 26 is provided with a central opening 2! defined by straight parallel side edges ab and ef spaced apart to conform to the width of the carton, and a pair of trapezoidal edges bode and fgha at the receptive ends with the edges cd and oh spaced to conform to the length of the carton. A pair of flat vertical side brackets 23 are disposed beneath the plate 23 in the plane of the edges ab and ef. A pair of vertical trapezoidal folding members 25 are attached to the plate 23 and are formed with short upper surfaces 26 in the plane of the top of the plate 20 and having edges forming the edges ed and oh above mentioned, with inclined surfaces 2?, and with vertical surfaces 28 which are spaced from the brackets 23 to provide clearance for the passage of the end flaps I and I6. Beneath each member 25 a pair of triangular folding members 38 are provided, which are secured to the respective brackets 23. The triangular members 39 have inclined top edges 3| which project across the ends of the carton from opposite sides and are curved to form a somewhat flattened cup as shown in Fig, 5. The members 30 may be formed as extensions of the brackets 23 or may be attached thereto. Beneath the members 38 are mounted rollers 33 and .34 which are journalled in the brackets 23 and are adapted to seal the seams if.

A piston 35 having a cross section corresponding to the interior of the folded carton is adapted to slide vertically through the opening 25 between the side edges ab and ef and the end edges ed and oh of the plate 20. The piston 35 is shown as having a handle 36 for operating the piston.

The rod 35 is freely slidable in guides 31, 38 carried by the piston 35 (the latter bein of hollow tubular construction). The lower end of rod 35 carries a rectangular bottom plate 39 which,

on the completion of the upstroke of rod 3%, enters the bottom of the piston 35 and abuts a shoulder Mi therein. In this position the piston 35 and its rod 35 are connected together by a latch plunger M which is forced by spring d2 into a recess 33 in the rod 36 (Fig. l). The plunger 4! is carried by guide 3'! which is connected to piston 35. When rod 36 is lowered the piston 35 and its rod 36 move together as a unit until the top of the piston is approximately level with plate 28 whereupon a finger 36 of plunger 45 engages an inclined face 4'! on the plate 29, thereby withdrawing the plunger li from the recess d3 so that the piston and its rod are disconnected. After such disconnection continued downward pressure on rod 36 moves bottom plate 39 away from. pisten 35 and, the plate 38 being within the reinforced bag, the latter is pushed off of piston 35 to within four angle irons 50 standing up from an endless belt 5!. When rod 36 is raised to bring bottom plate 39 into engagement with piston 35 again the reinforced bag is left on the belt 5i. At the top of the piston stroke the plunger 4| re-engages and the cycle of operations described above is repeated.

In the operation of this device the fiat sheet A and the blank 13 are placed upon the plate 2@, as shown in Fig. 3, and the piston 35 is pushed downwardly to force the sheet and blank through the opening 2i. As the sheet passes downwardly through this opening, the edges ab and cf form the sides [0 which are folded upwardly and smoothed by the side brackets 23. At the same time, the end portions of the sheet are folded upwardly by the edges cal and git to form the bottom end flaps l3 and the edges be, de, f9 and he initiate the folding of the end flaps l5 and #6 which then extend outwardly from the ends of the carton. The panels I do and i is of the blank B are folded up against the sides l6 and end fiaps l3. As the piston 35 advances downwardly past the members 25, the flaps it are folded upwardly into place and the end flaps l5 and i5 pass downwardly between the edges 28 and the brackets 23. As the piston continues its advance, the triangular members Ell engage the respective end flaps l5 and i6 and fold the same over successively to form the ends of the carton as indicated in Fig. 1. As the piston 35 advances further, the carton passes downwardly with the seams ii of the folded flaps i5 and It engaging the rollers and 3 In the event that the sheet A is provided with adhesive 38 at the seam areas, as indicated in Fig. 3, the rollers exert pressure on the folded flaps to seal the seams. In the event that the sheet A is provided with a thermoplastic adhesive, the rollers are heated to exert heat and pressure against the folded flaps so as to heat seal the seam as the carton passes the rollers.

The downward movement of the piston 35 is continued until the entire carton passes the rollers. Continued downward movement of the rod 36 then causes the top of the piston to seat on the plate 29 and the finger 16 to engage the inclined surface 4'! and be retracted thereby, thus releasing the rod 36 and the bottom plate 35 carried thereby. The bottom plate 3% then strips the folded carton from the sides of the piston 35 and deposits the carton in the guides 55! on the belt 5|.

On retraction of the rod 35 the bottom 39 again seats in the piston 35 and is secured by release of the plunger 4| to cause the piston and rod to be raised together to their initial position.

When the reinforced bag has been filled and closed a lid of pasteboard or other stifi material may be placed on the bag over the upstanding panels of the reinforcement. The lid may be held in position by adhesive bands.

The advantages of reinforcing the bags are that goods may be more easily packed in the bag, that a rigid bag is more easily handled and withstands rougher use, that the reinforcing may be formed with windows or cut-outs used for advertising purposes or to expose the goods to view through a transparent bag, and finally the lid may be removed without exposing the cor tents of the bag.

In the alternative arrangement illustrated in Fig. 7 the reinforced bag is made by placing the creased blank B of Fig. 6 on a table which lies below the plate 20 of Figs. 1 and 2. The bag liner is folded from a sheet of material placed on plate 29 and the finished bag on piston 35 is then applied to th blank B on table 55. As the bag i pushgd through opening 56 in table 55 the mwrikis carried with it and the panels 10 and I la of the blank B are folded up against the sides of the liner. lhe reinforced bag is delivered to the belt 66 as described above.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein as will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

A machine for making folded rectangular open top cartons from flat blanks, comprising a fiat plate adapted to receive a flat blank and having an opening therein through which said blank is pushed for folding and forming the sides and ends, a hollow piston having side and end walls against which the sides and ends of said cartons are formed, a piston rod slidable in said piston, a bottom member carried by said rod adapted to engage and form the bottom of said cartons, a latch plunger carried by said piston and engaging a detent in said rod to secure the piston to said rod to move with said rod for forming said cartons, means limiting the forming stroke of said piston, and cam means on said plate operabl to engage and release said plunger from said 6 rod in said limit position of said piston, whereby said rod and bottom member can be advanced beyond said limit position for stripping said cartons from the sides of said piston.

GEORGES GEFFROY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 550,870 Cooke Dec. 3, 1895 1,365,920 Joslin Jan. 18, 1921 1,391,669 Denmire Sept. 27, 1921 1,882,049 W'ellman Oct. 11, 1932 2,135,409 Munn et a1 Nov. 1, 1938 2,139,268 Hoag Dec. 6, 1938 2,243,352 MacDonald et al. May 27, 1941 2,406,061 Cass Aug. 20, 1946 2,406,301 Lively Aug. 20, 1946 2,469,641 Goss May 10, 1949 2,512,382 Ringler June 20, 1950 2,516,624 Guyer July 25, 1950 2,551,186 Veyret et a1 May 1, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,969 Great Britain of 1914 

